Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary
Abstract Building on the deservingness heuristic—evaluating recipients based on need and effort—from evolutionary psychology, we develop a simple model of altruism conditional on deservingness to explain individuals’ redistributive preferences. We test the model’s predictions using an incentivized e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05385-8 |
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| _version_ | 1849238783698927616 |
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| author | Pei-Hsun Hsieh Reuben Kline |
| author_facet | Pei-Hsun Hsieh Reuben Kline |
| author_sort | Pei-Hsun Hsieh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Building on the deservingness heuristic—evaluating recipients based on need and effort—from evolutionary psychology, we develop a simple model of altruism conditional on deservingness to explain individuals’ redistributive preferences. We test the model’s predictions using an incentivized experiment where participants could directly transfer their earned money to a recipient with varying levels of income and effort. When recipients’ effort is clearly signaled, most participants’ choices align with the model’s predicted need and effort effect. Using finite mixture regressions, we identify three types of redistributive preferences: highly responsive to effort, less responsive, and self-interested. These categories reflect varying weightings of recipients’ efforts within the model. Moreover, we find that redistributive patterns are associated with political ideology and economic values commonly assessed in surveys. However, when recipients’ effort is absent or ambiguous, income becomes the primary determinant of resource allocation, even when effort may be partially inferred. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a62a55bbd288400dbaa6c7e8f8ab5256 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-a62a55bbd288400dbaa6c7e8f8ab52562025-08-20T04:01:24ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-07-0112111210.1057/s41599-025-05385-8Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort varyPei-Hsun Hsieh0Reuben Kline1University of PennsylvaniaStony Brook UniversityAbstract Building on the deservingness heuristic—evaluating recipients based on need and effort—from evolutionary psychology, we develop a simple model of altruism conditional on deservingness to explain individuals’ redistributive preferences. We test the model’s predictions using an incentivized experiment where participants could directly transfer their earned money to a recipient with varying levels of income and effort. When recipients’ effort is clearly signaled, most participants’ choices align with the model’s predicted need and effort effect. Using finite mixture regressions, we identify three types of redistributive preferences: highly responsive to effort, less responsive, and self-interested. These categories reflect varying weightings of recipients’ efforts within the model. Moreover, we find that redistributive patterns are associated with political ideology and economic values commonly assessed in surveys. However, when recipients’ effort is absent or ambiguous, income becomes the primary determinant of resource allocation, even when effort may be partially inferred.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05385-8 |
| spellingShingle | Pei-Hsun Hsieh Reuben Kline Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary |
| title_full | Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary |
| title_fullStr | Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary |
| title_short | Deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices, but weights on recipient effort vary |
| title_sort | deservingness heuristics drive redistributive choices but weights on recipient effort vary |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05385-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT peihsunhsieh deservingnessheuristicsdriveredistributivechoicesbutweightsonrecipienteffortvary AT reubenkline deservingnessheuristicsdriveredistributivechoicesbutweightsonrecipienteffortvary |